Summary

Badge for the Aborigines Advancement League. It was used in Carnegie, Victoria. The badge was given to the donor by someone who was cleaning out some old furniture, who had found it among some old cottons and other oddments.

In March 1957 the Aborigines Advancement League was formed to replace the Save the Aborigines Committee (which had been formed in response to the Warburton Ranges crisis). The inaugural office holders were Gordon Bryant as president, Doris Blackburn as deputy president, Stan Davey as secretary and Pastor Doug Nicholls as field officer. The organisation grew rapidly over the next few years and branches were established through suburban Melbourne and in country Victoria.

Early political activity included the drafting and circulating of a petition requesting a referendum to amend the Constitution so as to empower the federal parliament to legislate in Aboriginal affairs. A second early action was to establish a defence fund for Albert Namatjira who was appealing his conviction of supplying liquor to an Aboriginal ward of the state. In the late 1960s the organisation moved to full Aboriginal control. Still operating today, it is the oldest Indigenous organisation in Australia.

Physical Description

Small round white badge with black ink printed text on a white background with a green logo in the centre. Logo is shield shaped with a white boomerang and three circles with the three letters of the organisation also printed in white. Attachment pin on reverse is missing.

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